Dart wakes up the next morning and sees Jo laying down on her stomach. Her red curls are hiding her face and her naked, pale body is kissed by the sunlight shining through the window. He takes it all in, admiring all of her soft curves and the scars she overcame. He walks into the bathroom and stops in his tracks as he looks at his own reflection in the mirror. He touches the mark on his neck with a smile, outlined by Jo's teeth is a dark bruise. He takes a quick shower and wraps a towel around his waist. He grabs his phone and texts Laurent. 

Morning bro.
Could you help me by getting my bag with a change of clothes from the car?
Somehow forgot about it yesterday. 

Dart waits for Laurent to reply, but it takes a while. He looks up in shock as he hears the elevator doors open and tries to run over to them. Laurent steps out with a smile and then freezes on the spot, staring at the bed. Dart tries to block his view, but knows it's too late. All he can do is pray for Jo to stay asleep, until Laurent is gone. Laurent turns around and says softly: "Give me your car keys, I'll be right back." Dart hands his keys over to him and Laurent quickly gets back into the elevator. Feeling awkward for Jo's sake, but kind of proud at how beautiful she looks, Dart covers her up with a sheet reluctantly. 

Laurent is back fairly quickly with the bag, coffee and croissants. Dart puts the bag on the bed and pulls out underwear and jeans, before walking over to the living room area. Laurent is already sitting there on the couch. Dart closes the door behind him and puts the clothes on that he got from the bag. Laurent looks down at the floor and says: "I'm really sorry. I didn't think. I just impulsively came up here." 

Dart sits down and pours them both a cup of coffee. He takes a sip and then says calmly: "She is gorgeous, isn't she?" 

Laurent lifts his head up and says: "What? Yeah she is." 

Dart smiles and says: "You didn't know. Just never tell her about it, okay?" 

Laurent sips his coffee and then asks: "How did she become so strong and unafraid, Dart?" 

Dart thinks for a second and says: "You should ask her really. But she was already strong as a little girl. Remind me to send you a picture, when I'm back at my mother's house. The unafraid part of her, came from what her ex did to her. You heard her when she told your maid about that scar, right? She got that scar, the night she flew to LA, before running from that bastard." Laurent can sense the anger coming from Dart and knows Jo has been through an awful lot. 

He changes the subject and asks: "How did things go with your maman? I expected her to give Jo a hard time." 

Dart looks a bit sad and says: "She did. She was incredibly mean to Jo. Doubting everything about her, accusing her to be after my money and even claiming her abuse story wasn't true."

 Laurent swears and asks: "But you are going back there today?" 

Dart starts to smile and says: "Well, I was ready to pack up and leave. But Jo convinced me to give it one more try by having dinner together. My mom twisted her ankle when I was out buying groceries for dinner. And Jo, well Jo was Jo. She went above and beyond to help my mother and won maman over with her love. My girl does nothing half way."

Laurent stares at him and says: "Wow. I know how scary your mum can be. That is one amazing women you've got there Dart." 

Jo opens the door and hears Laurent say that she's amazing. Dart watches her come in, wearing one of his shirts and her hair a mess. She smiles at Laurent and says: "Good morning, Laurent." She walks over to Dart and kisses him. "Hmm, good morning handsome." 

Dart smiles at her and pours her a coffee. "Morning, love of my life." Jo sits down next to Dart and sips her coffee with her eyes closed. Laurent smiles at the sight of her and Dart winks at him. Dart says: "Jo needs her coffee in the morning. But I can tell you enjoy watching her drink it too." Jo opens her eyes and looks at Laurent, who blushes slightly. She looks over at Dart and he smiles at her. She shrugs and goes back to enjoy her coffee.

Jo finishes her coffee and says: "I'm quite impressed by you Laurent. You set up the entire 'Fight Like a Girl' plan really fast and very detailed. And on top of that you also arranged the launch party." 

Laurent smiles at her a bit shy and says: "Thank you. But it's all because of you. You thought it all up and all I had to do was finish it. You inspired me and it all came together. I'm good enough at my job to do the business side of it all fast and good. But my people skills are a bit lacking." 

Jo smiles at him and says: "I don't think they are, really. You are just used to wearing that mask of yours. And I know for a fact that it's a mask now. When I met you I didn't like you very much."

Dart coughs and says: "You hated him, Jo." 

Jo laughs and says: "Yeah, kinda. What does that say about my people skills, huh?" 

Laurent laughs and says: "Well, I don't blame you. That mask has been working for me for years. And you kinda scared me. But the next morning, you sat down at my table anyway. That was very cool of you." 

Dart smiles and says: "Yeah, that's Jo for you. She doesn't give up on people easily." 

Laurent looks her over and says: "You're an amazing woman Jo. I am honored to have met you. And I am happy that Dart didn't make you up." They laugh together, drinking coffee and eating a croissant.

Jo gets up and says: "I am going to shower. Or I will never get this hair under control." She shakes her head and her curls bounce around. 

Dart stares at her with a loving smile, until Laurent says: "I wish I could join you." 

Jo turns around and says: "That's all it's ever going to be Laurent, a wish. But if you look over at Dart, you might wish you never said that out loud." Jo walks away from them laughing. 

Laurent meets Dart's eyes and swallows, feeling extremely uncomfortable. "I-I was just kidding, Dart. She took it way better than you." He sighs and stares at the floor. 

Dart leans over to Laurent and says: "I know you well enough, to know it's not really a joke. Honestly, you already saw her naked in bed, don't push your luck here. I might end up killing you." 

Laurent sees the anger flash in Dart's eyes and he sits up straight, saying: "You know my mouth is faster than my mind most of the time. I would never really do it. Besides, you belong together. It looks like you've been together for years. The guys were very surprised by it all too." Laurent then notices the mark on Dart's neck and stares at it, the corner of his lips curling up slightly. Dart notices it and touches the mark, smirking at Laurent. Laurent says in an amused tone: "She got you back huh? I have even more respect for her now. And I'm a bit scared again." 

Dart says: "Good! Be very scared. She is capable of breaking a guys nose." 

Laurent looks shocked and asks: "For real?" Dart nods and tells Laurent what happened when Jo's ex decided to show up in front of the cafe. Laurent listens to Dart's story in silence and breathes out when Dart's finished. Laurent is looking for the right words and says: "He must have really... for her to get that angry... where did she find the strength?"

Jo walks in, braiding her hair and wearing a bathrobe. She hears the last part of the conversation and looks at Dart. Dart turns pale and says: "Erm, I told Laurent about the moment Mark came to Venice Beach. I apologize if you didn't want me to." 

Jo nods at him and sits down on the couch, taking a deep breath. "Now you know why I helped the maid. And why I am a bit unafraid of things." Laurent looks at her, scared to ask her anything about it. Jo smiles at him and says: "This is your chance. Ask all the questions you have. It can only help you relate to girls who run into men like my ex." 

Laurent clears his throat and says: "I have always wondered why woman stay with a guy like that. I don't get it." 

Jo thinks about her answer and says, staring out of the window: "Because it starts with kindness and love. And once you love someone, you become more forgiving. You tell yourself it's just this one time... He does loving things too, it's not bad all the time. And at some point he has broken your spirit. You have no friends or family left to turn to, only him. And he has convinced you it's all your fault when he gets angry. You close yourself off from your feelings and let him do whatever he wants, unable to fight him. Besides, resisting him makes him angrier."

 A cold chill runs across her spine and she looks at Dart. He has turned white as a sheet, his shoulders are slumped and his fists are clenching on his lap. Laurent looks sad and broken and has trouble breathing. "I'm sorry, maybe I said too much."

Dart turns to her and says: "No Jo, we need to hear this. Every guy in the world needs to hear this. We don't know a damn thing about all those bastards out there. It just makes me feel ashamed to be a man." 

Laurent nods and says: "I can tell it was really bad, by the tone of your voice. I don't need to hear any of the details of what he did to you. But I do want to know how you felt and how you came to rise above it all. If you want to tell me that is." 

Jo nods and tells him all about the night Mark cut her cheek. She talks about it fast and a bit mechanically, desperate to get it over with. Because thinking back on it, still breaks her heart. "I got on a plane to LAX and ended up on Venice Beach, broken and with all I owned in one backpack." She looks up at Laurent and sees him wipe a tear from his cheek. Their eyes meet and Jo sees her own pain reflected in his. She tries to smile at him and clears her throat to continue. 

"I stumbled upon a man, literally, that welcomed and protected me. I felt very conflicted about it, but I trusted him from the minute he started talking to me. He offered me a place to sleep that night, no strings attached. He was the first person I ever told about my ex and why I ran away. His protective, brotherly love, healed me in a way I don't even have words for. He showed me how a man is supposed to treat a woman. I went from never wanting anything to do with a man, to trusting an American stranger. It was an emotional roller coaster, to say the least."

Jo looks over at Dart and sees his hand, palm up, resting next to her on the couch. She lays her hand on top of his and he breathes out, lacing his fingers with hers. Jo looks at Laurent and he's staring at their hands with a soft smile. Jo says: "What I am really trying to say is that one kind man, can actually turn it all around. All we need are kind, loving, protective guys, who keep trying to show us kindness. And we will heal, eventually." 

Laurent nods at her and says: "I hear you. I can't ever thank you enough for telling me all this. It's going to take a while to sink in, but I understand it a whole lot better already. And I get how my usual attitude is not helping girls that are already intimidated by being close to a man." Jo smiles and relaxes against the back of the couch. 

They stay silent for a while, Laurent being the first to speak: "So now I want to know your side of the story Dart. How did you two meet?" 

Dart smiles at the memory and says: "The first time she saw me, she saw my naked ass on the beach." 

Jo laughs and says: "And a fine ass it was." 

Laurent looks at them totally confused and Dart explains: "I was surfing and took off my wetsuit, not knowing she was looking at me. She was sitting on the beach and when I walked up to her, I caught her staring at me. When I came closer and got a better look, my heart skipped a beat. I think I smiled and winked at her, wondering if she was a tourist."

Dart winks at her again, with his signature smile on his lips. "I ran into her again, when she was having a picnic on the beach with Jake. You know my friend, who owns the cafe where we watched games together? He is the guy Jo was talking about earlier. He gave her a bed to sleep in." Laurent nods and Dart continues.  

"Anyway, he introduced me to Jo and when I tried to figure out if they were together, he teased me with it. I saw Jo's scar and that it was recent. And even though she was laughing with Jake, I saw a lot of pain in her eyes. I was very intrigued by her, but told myself to stay away from her. One because me and love don't go together and two because playing with a girl like Jo would be cruel. But every time I came to the cafe, I ended up liking her more. And then that Summer Dance poster! It killed me." 

Laurent says: "That's the one you posted online, right? With Jo in the black dress?" Dart nods and Laurent says: "Yeah, very hot. I seriously thought she was a professional model. So what was the moment you realized you loved her?" 

Dart smiles and says: "After the dance... We danced, kissed, talked and cried. All of the emotions made Jo exhausted and I carried her upstairs at Jake's and tucked her into bed. I waited for her to fall asleep and then walked out. On top of the stairs I whispered to myself that I loved her. That was when I knew I was already done for." 

Laurent smiles at the story and looks at Jo: "What about you Jo?" 

Jo says: "That's easy, the morning after. When he told me he loved me and was willing to take things at my pace. My heart believed him right there. My mind still wasn't there completely though. But he was so incredibly patient through it all, he healed me every step of the way." 

Laurent says: "And now you're confident enough to give him a visible mark on his neck, to get him back. You are obviously not scared of him at all." They laugh together and Dart pulls her close, planting a kiss on her temple. Laurent gets up and says: "I better get back to work. I might be the boss, but I don't want to set a bad example. Thank you very much for sharing all that stuff with me. I know you are made for each other. All the issues from your past, mixed together, make for a beautiful love potion. Kind of contagious too. Come find me when you leave." He walks out of the room and into the elevator. 

Dart looks her over, searching her eyes to find out how she's really feeling. Reliving all of it, can't have been easy on her. But Jo looks at him with loving eyes and all he finds in those eyes besides the love, is tiredness. He puts a hand on her cheek and says: "I still can't believe how strong you are. Are you okay after all of that?" 

Jo smiles at him and says: "I am fine. I really wanted to make Laurent understand, so he will be able to help those girls better. And I think it worked. Not that talking about Mark is an easy thing to do and I tried to keep my emotions out of it, afraid of getting lost in them. But ending the conversation with love, made it feel like a full circle moment. Like I was meant to go through all of that and more, to get to the prize at the end of it." 

Dart stares at her and asks: "The prize?" 

Jo smiles wide and says: "You, dummy. Having all your love and being able to love you back in every way possible. Feeling confident about myself and my love for you. I want to keep discovering things about you and love you even more. I want to be with you forever." Dart closes his eyes, trying to hide his overwhelming feelings and swallows. But Jo knows him way too well by now and crawls onto his lap. "Look at me handsome. I need to see if you heard all of that, felt all of it." 

Jo holds his face in her hands and kisses his closed eyes. He opens his eyes and she gasps at the sight of the emotions in them. She sees the deep love he feels for her, the disbelief and the tears. She wraps her arms around him and lays her head on his shoulder. He hides his face against her neck and breathes in her scent, unable to speak. Jo feels his tears on her skin and kisses his neck softly, as she rubs his back.

Dart takes his time to calm down, holding Jo close to him. He lifts his head from her neck and takes a deep breath, before looking into her loving eyes. He whispers her name and kisses her softly. Jo leans back in his arms to look him over, as he searches for the right words to explain his feelings to her. His voice is a bit broken when he speaks. "Jo... Were you saying that being through everything with your ex was worth it, because you ended up with me?" His voice is barely audible at the end of his question and he sighs. 

Jo waits for him to look into her eyes and then says: "That's exactly what I was trying to say. I would endure it all again if it meant having you." 

His eyes fill up with tears again and he whispers: "That can't be. I'm not that much of a prize." 

Jo kisses him and says: "Yes you are. You're very handsome, I can't think of anyone hotter than you are. You are really kind, to everyone you meet, that's a very important quality. You are very protective of me, I always feel safe when I'm with you. I love your friends, mostly because they reflect on the kind of friend you are. You make me feel beautiful and wanted, all the time. Right after I wake up and when I am all dressed up." She kisses him again, before going on. 

"You allow me to be myself and you're able to step back and let me shine. I can feel how proud you are of me when you do that and that gives me more strength to believe in myself. I love the nerdy, teenage you and the professional model you. I love the way you kiss me, the way you hold me when we sleep, I love the way you make love to me. I love every single thing about you D'Artagnan and you are not just a prize. You are the first prize." 

Dart stares at Jo with a blush on his cheeks and mumbles: "Shut up." 

Jo crosses her arms and shakes her head: "Need me to go over all of that again? I will keep repeating it, until you believe me." 

He shakes his head and whispers: "No." 

Jo smiles softly and says: "I love you." 

Dart takes a deep breath and says: "I love you too. Probably just as much. Because thinking about what you just said, makes me realize I feel the same. All the pain and struggle was worth it, if the prize is you. So maybe it's time I start believing you when you say those things to me." Jo smiles wider and runs her fingers through his hair. He looks at her with a tiny crooked smile on his lips and says: "On one condition though." 

Jo says: "Name it. I'll do anything for you." 

He smiles a bit wider and says: "That you do the same. Believe I love all of you, forever. You really, truly are the woman of my dreams. And I am starting to believe you are really here to stay, in my arms." 

Jo says: "Deal." She leans down to kiss him lightly, but he pulls her closer and kisses her slow and deep, as he unties her bathrobe. Jo runs her nails over his chest and he moans, grabbing her ass. They come together hot, fast and wild, unable to hold back the desire they feel. Jo sinks against his chest and tries to catch her breath. Dart lets his arms fall down on the sofa and he tilts his head back, with his eyes closed. Jo listens to his wild heartbeat and smiles weakly. 

Dart mumbles: "We just might have to stay here for a week. I need that much time at least to recover." 

Jo lets out a hoarse laugh and says: "Fine by me." 

Dart lifts his head as he hears her hoarse voice and says: "Hmm, maybe not. If you keep talking to me in that voice, I might feel energized fairly quickly." Jo laughs again and covers her mouth with her hand as she becomes aware of his growing desire. She gets up from his lap quickly and walks over to the bedroom, still a bit unsteady on her legs. Dart follows her and flashes her his signature smile. Jo covers her eyes and her mouth and Dart says in a deep voice: "Oh yes. Very nice view this way." 

Jo laughs again, feeling his eyes checking her out from head to toe. "Stop it Dart. Have mercy on me, please." 

He moans softly as he comes closer. "Oh love, you sound so sexy now. I'm not sure if I'll be able to hold back." 

Jo crosses her arms and says: "But if you don't hold back, I will lose my voice completely. And you will not be able to listen to this sexy voice any more." 

Dart pouts and says: "You win. But try to say as less as possible. Especially when we're alone together." 

Jo laughs and says: "I promise."

They get dressed and pack their things, before going down to find Laurent. He is not in his office and they eventually find him in the restaurant. He gestures them to come over to his table and says: "Please join me for lunch guys. I need a break. And you two are a sight for sore eyes." They sit down at his table and Jo smiles at him. Laurent looks at Dart and says: "That video of Jo coming down the stairs sure is something. She got so many replies on it...the whole world loves her. And from there they find 'Fight Like A Girl'. It's awesome." 

Dart looks at his phone and sees the huge amount of replies. Some of them are very sexual. He puts his phone away and then sees Jo looking at the same thing. She looks at Laurent and says: "If it gives you publicity for the plan and it gets the designer attention for his dress, it's worth it."

Laurent's jaw drops as he hears her voice and he looks at Dart. Dart swallows and Laurent grins. "That is some sexy voice Jo. And it was fine when I last saw you. I wonder what happened when I left you two alone in the penthouse." 

Jo laughs and says: "You don't wonder at all, you know. And you just hope to either piss off Dart or hear details about it." 

Dart leans over to her and softly says: "Stop talking. Please." 

Laurent leans on the table and laughs: "Oh my. I think you have quite the effect on Dart with that voice. Wow, the man that's always in control of his feelings." Dart kicks Laurent under the table and he stops talking. The food arrives and they eat in silence, while Laurent still looks at them highly amused. They finish their meal and Laurent has to go back to work. He hugs Dart and tells him to take good care of Jo, thanking him for introducing her to him. He takes a step towards Jo and asks: "Can I hug you too?" Jo nods and Laurent hugs her warmly as he whispers: "Thank you for loving him. He deserved someone like you for a long time." 

Jo looks at him with astonishment when he steps back and she says: "It's my pleasure." 

Laurent looks up at the sky and says: "Good luck man. Tape her mouth shut while you drive. I am going to be hot and bothered by the thought of that voice all day." He runs off and Dart shakes his head. 

"He is never going to change. I hope he finds a girl like you some day. A girl that can handle his smart mouth." Jo laughs softly and they walk out to the car. They get into the car and Dart asks, before he starts the car: "What did he thank you for when he hugged you?" 

Jo smiles at him and says: "For loving you. He said you deserved someone like me for a long time." Dart stares at Jo with his mouth open, shakes it off after a second and starts the car.